


I Knew I'd Find You

by My_OTP_will_kill_me (orphan_account)



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Angst, Angsty Waiting, Blind Thranduil, F/M, Fluff, Humor, Hurt Thranduil, Hurt/Comfort, I'm Bad At Tagging, Idiots in Love, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, M/M, Smitten Bard
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-27
Updated: 2015-02-27
Packaged: 2018-03-15 12:41:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3447575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/My_OTP_will_kill_me
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bard stood above in a high tower to the right of Thranduil, that had caved in, and showed a perfect view of the man. He was being patted on the back and hugged from all around, and Thranduil just wanted to join in...minus the other men and women. He wished to hold the man close to him, and never let him go.<br/>Bard laughed and smiled as he picked up his youngest child, clutching her and his other two to him fiercely. The image made Thranduil smile, and he could picture himself apart of the hug in the future. When Bard pulled away, he glanced down and around all of his people, eyes scrunching up in worry.</p><p>“Where is King Thranduil?” he called over the others, his voice laced with a hidden fear. “Where is the Elven King?”</p><p>“Bard!” Thranduil called out, raising his hand and taking a small step forward. Bard ran to the edge, grinning brightly when he saw him. Thranduil couldn’t hold back his grin for the man.</p><p>“I knew I’d find you,” the bowman shouted cheekily, making Thranduil chuckle.</p><p>“Yes, well I am not that hard to find, if I recall correctly,” Thranduil replied, thinking back to a few nights ago when he and Bard had been alone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Knew I'd Find You

**Author's Note:**

> My friend had me type this for them because they were too lazy to :P Sorry for mistakes, and other things!!!

_And so it is done_ , Thranduil thought to himself as he looked around the battlefield, littered with crimson and bodies of friends and foe alike. The battle was done, and they had come out victorious.

 

"Where's Bard?" a man of the lake shouted, catching others attention like a wildfire, and the fear and worry for their leader spreading just as quickly.

Thranduil's head shot up, the terror no doubt plain in his eyes, but he had no time to worry about his silly appearance. Bard was in trouble. He could be lost somewhere, or injured underneath a filthy creature and needs aid, or he could be dea-

 

 _No!_ Thranduil shook his head forcefully. _You would have known it. You would have felt it in your very soul._ Why he would have known was foreign to Thranduil, and he assumed it was their unbreakable friendship that had blossomed between them since they had met. Whatever the reason, Thranduil pushed it aside in order to focus.

The lake men and women all were shouting his name, calling for their leader, and Thranduil almost snapped at them all to be silent.

The anticipation, the fear of not knowing, the terrible possibility that he would have to face Bard in a coffin was eating away at Thranduil. He couldn't see Bard. Couldn't find the mop of dark brown hair that called to his fingers to run through it and discover whether or not it was as soft and silky as it looked. Couldn't see that face, wrinkled with age and stress from his children, but each wrinkle beckoned for a kiss each. Couldn't see -

 

"My Lord?" an elf called out, taking a step toward Thranduil. He had not noticed his increased breathing that had begun to grow louder and ragged. Thranduil inhaled sharply, glaring into the elf's eyes.

 

"I want you and two other abled warriors to scour the entire area in search of Bard the Bowman. The rest of you aid those who need it, or find those who need it. Begone." The elf nodded, and two behind him followed as they ran off, the others close behind.

Thranduil began to feel the horrible feeling of terror ripple throughout his spine all the way to his fingertips. He felt warm, too warm. He needed to get out of the area before he lost it. No, he knew what he needed.

 _Bard, where are you?_ He continued to scan the horizon, trying to locate his One- his friend. His good **friend**. Thranduil almost reeled at his first thought.

 _One...my One?!_ He stood still, his mind racing with thoughts of Bard over this past week. Each of them were happy memories.

When Bard smiled at the halfling when he admitted to stealing and aiding the prisoners in their escape, or when Bard and he had shared wine one night, and Bard had gotten slightly drunk to the point where he was laughing at everything that was said or done. Thranduil doesn't remember smiling more in the past century than he did in that one night.

Thranduil thought of how he felt when he was in the bowman's presence. Just his presence alone was almost overwhelming to Thranduil. The very air the bowman breathed was toxic yet so addictive, and made Thranduil almost crazy for that combination of smells of wine, the bowman’s favorite pipe weed, and a scent that was just Bard. He needed Bard like he needed air. Needed him to live.

Thranduil could have smacked himself right there in front of anyone who was watching him.

 _How can you be so stupid?_ he thought to himself as he shut his eyes tight in pain. Thranduil didn’t know what to think, as he had believed that his One had died a long time ago for he had never felt his heartstrings pull at the thought or sight of someone. He and his wife had been good friends, and he had loved her, but she wasn’t his One, and when she died Thranduil had still mourned her, but hadn’t felt complete loss.

But with Bard? The very thought of losing Bard would be worse than having to hug a dwarf. Worse than being beaten unconscious. Worse than if someone were to stab him in the stomach and twist so slowly to induce as much pain as they could.

“He’s my One,” Thranduil whispered aloud. That acknowledgement, that final declaration was like coming out of water after a long time. The air was fresher and sweeter, and the world looked brighter and new. A feeling of life washed over him, and a piece seemed to connect itself in Thranduil.

“He’s my One,” he mumbled a little louder, a small smile gracing his lips. _He’s my One!_ his brain rejoiced, as his body began to tremble with giddiness. _He’s my One, and he’s missing…_ Thranduil’s smile fell from his face, a look of terror in his eyes at the thought. _He’s missing!_

“Bard?” he called out, his voice shaky as he felt a bit stupid shouting like the other men, but he would have bowed to Thorin Oakenshield if it meant finding Bard safe. The thought made his face pucker up, and he would have rather spat on the dwarf before ever dreaming of bowing to him, but if it got Bard back, then he’d do it. At the thought of Bard possibly not coming back to him safe, Thranduil felt all the air in his lungs leave him.

“Bard?!” Thranduil cried again, the sense of urgency to find the bowman overwhelming his senses, and had him forget all forms of respectability. He had to find Bard. Had to express his feelings to him, and see if by some miracle that the man liked him back or not even liked but loved him they way he felt for Bard.

 

“We’ve found ‘im!” someone cried in joy, catching Thranduil’s attention. “Bard!” Relief flooded over Thranduil and all that worry and fear left him in a huff. Then there he was.

Bard stood above in a high tower to the right of Thranduil, that had caved in, and showed a perfect view of the man. He was being patted on the back and hugged from all around, and Thranduil just wanted to join in...minus the other men and women. Bard laughed and smiled as he picked up his youngest child, clutching her and his other two to him fiercely. The image made Thranduil smile, and he could picture himself apart of the hug in the future. When Bard pulled away, he glanced down and around all of his people, eyes scrunching up in worry.

 

“Where is King Thranduil?” he called over the others, his voice laced with a hidden fear. “Where is the Elven King?”

 

“Bard!” Thranduil called out, raising his hand and taking a small step forward. Bard ran to the edge, grinning brightly when he saw him.

 _Could he...maybe...please let him like me._ Thranduil couldn’t hold back his grin for the man.

 

“I knew I’d find you,” the bowman shouted cheekily, making Thranduil chuckle.

 

“Yes, well I am not that hard to find, if I recall correctly,” Thranduil replied, thinking back to a few nights ago when he and Bard had been alone.

 

~~~ _flashback_ ~~~

 

Thranduil didn’t remember walking so far from the camps. He just remembered walking away from the tent with that wretched meddling wizard, only to find that everywhere he looked there was someone staring at him. Either dirty looks, looks of awe and wonder, or looks of fear, all looks he had received ten fold before this night. But suddenly he couldn’t stand them any more. He sent his guards off to go play nice with the others, and decides to go off in search of solitude away from the prying eyes.

By the time he paid attention, he was halfway back to Lake Town, or what used to be Lake Town. With a sigh, he sat on the cold ground of the hillside, curling up in his cloak. He watched his breath leave his body, changing his breathing pattern to watch his breath dance in the cold. He sensed the person before he saw them, straightening his back and moving his hand to the hilt of his blade.

 

“You’re a far ways from the camp, King Thranduil,” Bard called, stomping his way through to him. Thranduil gave an exasperated sigh.

 

“Yes, well one does isolate oneself when they wish not to be disturbed,” Thranduil informed him with an air of annoyance. Bard stopped his movements in sitting next to him.

 

“If you’d like me to leave-”

 

“No,” Thranduil rushed, blinking back his awkwardness when he realized how jumpy and desperate he must’ve sounded to the man. “I mean, you can do as you wish, but you do not need to leave.” Bard nodded, sitting firmly down next to him. They sat for some time in a comfortable silence, when a blast of wind blew through the night. Bard shivered slightly, and Thranduil took in the man’s attire. He was in only a tunic, and pants that looked as thick as a strand of hair. Without thinking, Thranduil tossed half of his cloak over the man. Bard gladly took the offer, scooting in closer to him, and sighing contentedly with his eyes closed.

 

“Were you following me?” Thranduil asked, watching Bard’s reaction. He felt his lips quirk up at the man’s blush that spread throughout his face.

 

“No, um, no. I just- I saw you, and you were walking alone, and I thought…” Bard drifted off, looking anywhere but at Thranduil. “I thought you could use some friendly company. Especially after that meeting.” Thranduil huffed in annoyance at the mention of the past meeting.

 

“Highly irritating, and a waste of our time. We all know nothing can get to Thorin Oakenshield unless it is made of gold, contains gold, or will earn him more gold. I hope he chokes on the gold he’s most likely swimming in.” Bard began to chuckle, startling the Elvenking. He watched the man start to shake with his contained laughter.

“What?” Thranduil demanded with a smile.

 

“Oh, i-it’s nothing,” Bard huffed. At Thranduil’s insistence, Bard sighed defeatedly. “I might have just pictured the King Under the Mountain, diving into the mounds of gold, only to hit the unmoving metal, and go splat all over, I just-hm,” Bard explained, clearing his throat and missing the small smile on the Elvenking’s face.

“I’m sorry. That wasn’t very appropriate to say-”

 

“No,” Thranduil interrupted, placing a hand on Bard’s knee. “Don’t apologize for that. I rather appreciated the happy scene you described.” Bard chuckled again, hiding his face in his hands.

 

“No, that was poor of me to think-”

 

“Bard,” Thranduil called, grabbing the fretting man’s attention, “If I thought that a comment like that was bad, you would have known.” Bard smirked at the man, shaking his head.

“Most know of my disdain for the dwarf. Thorin Oakenshield and I don’t see eye-to-eye when it comes to certain things.” Bard’s bark of laughter sent a jolt of electricity through Thranduil as he gazed at Bard’s smile.

 

“Forgive me, your majesty,” Bard apologized, studying Thranduil up and down in a way that made Thranduil suddenly wish for a mirror.

“But I doubt you and Thorin Oakenshield see eye-to-eye on anything.” Thranduil tilted his head in confusion, before it all clicked in his head and began to laugh and laugh more than he had in the longest of times. Bard joined him, and they bumped shoulders, leaning into each others space as they laughed.

When their laughter died down, they sat in comfortable silence, leaning against the other. Thranduil sighed, content with sitting next to his fast friend Bard.

“I knew I’d find you,” Bard said in a gloating manner that had Thranduil scoffing and looking down at the man.

 

“Oh,” he questioned, an eyebrow quirked up at the little smirk and nod he received.

 

“You’re not that hard to find,” Bard explained, looking rather smug.

 

“And what makes you so confident in yourself finding me?” Thranduil teases, looking down at his hands. Bard sat up a little, and Thranduil was shocked in the longing he felt for the heat that Bard’s body emanated.

Bard studied the elf for what seemed like hours, when his hand carefully brought a stray lock of hair back to it’s place behind the pointed ear. The small nonvoluntary gasp that escaped Thranduil’s mouth as the man’s fingers glided over the tip of his ear made Thranduil feel heat spread throughout his cheeks. He almost shuddered when Bard moved the hair back again over his ear.

 

“Do you know that your hair glows?” Bard asked, his voice barely above a whisper. Thranduil shook his head clearly confused by the proclamation. “With or without light, your hair glows as bright and as beautiful as…” Bard trailed off, searching for the right word. He glanced up and a soft smile graced those beautiful lips of his.

“You shine like the stars.” He looked back down at Thranduil who was staring at the man with his mouth partially open. “You’re like a walking, talking, beautiful star.” Thranduil couldn’t breath. His entire face must have been as bright and red as the blood that runs in the veins of men, much like the man in front of him. Most times, Thranduil would have brushed off the compliment, taken it as someone just trying to gain power or his bed, but when Bard said those words, Thranduil felt as high and bright as the sun at high noon on a clear day. They meant something coming from Bard. He didn’t know what they meant, but they meant so much.

Thranduil ducked his head down before clearing his throat, and making to stand, dragging the man with him still wrapped in his cloak.

 

“Come, Bard,” he said, looping his arm around the man. “Let us go back to the tent, and finish those horrid conversations with Gandalf the Grey. Perhaps some wine will help with the mood, otherwise I might just fall asleep from boredom.” Bard smiled at him, and together they walked off.

 

~~~ _end of flashback_ ~~~

 

Thranduil was so overjoyed by the knowledge of Bard’s safety that he didn’t see or hear anything but Bard who stood and smiled down at him. The man opened his mouth to speak when a low whistle sounded.

Pain blossomed in Thranduil’s upper shoulder, just above his heart. With a shout, Thranduil fell to his knees. Chaos erupted all around him, but it was all a blur to Thranduil.

Bard seemed to be running down to him, panic and fear written all over his face, and Thranduil wanted to make it go away. Make that look on his face never show up again, and instead always have a smile.

Thranduil sensed his guards leave him, heard their muffled shouts, but felt sluggish and useless in whatever was going on around him. He sank to the ground, eyes closing just to rest like his body wanted to do so badly now.

 

“Thranduil,” a voice called beneath the roar in his ears. He knew that voice. Thranduil’s eyes battled to open, his body almost getting the best of him, but his will was stronger.

At first he saw nothing but blobs and shapes that possibly could be people or bears for all Thranduil knew in his daze. Soon his eyes began to focus, and it wasn’t a bear at all.

“Thranduil,” Bard whispered, brushing back his hair. “Thranduil.” His voice just barely above a whisper, was growing louder till Thranduil realized that Bard hadn’t been whispering at all. Bard looked fearful, eyes wide in panic.

“No, no, no, no, no.” Thranduil struggled to breath, as Bard fretted over him. “Please, Thranduil!” the man begged, giving him a slight jostle. "Come on, wake up!” Bard shouted. Thranduil was in his arms, cradled gently against his chest. Those big arms that were so warm were shaking like a leaf. “Thranduil?" Bard called to him. The man looked around in fear, and Thranduil worried that another threat was near by. "Help! Someone!” The Elven King tried to stay awake, but the task was becoming nigh impossible.

 

“Bard,” Thranduil groaned out, feeling a jolt of pain when he breathed. Bard shushed him, his hands gliding over Thranduil’s chest, not touching him. “Are you...s-safe?” he stuttered out. Bard huffed a humorless laugh.

 

“You get shot by an orc arrow, and yet you ask me if I’m okay?” Bard questioned in disbelief, shaking his head in distress. When the man glanced back at Thranduil, he saw the seriousness in the elf's eyes, and with a nod of his head, said, “I’m okay,” he reassured, his voice uneven. “We just have to get someone here to help you.” Bard began to move but Thranduil put a hand on his chest, pausing his movements.

 

“No, i-it’s too l-late,” Thranduil argued. He could feel the poison spreading throughout his veins, running straight to his heart. “I’ll b-be d-de-ad s-soon. I can feel the p-poison i-in my blo-od.”

 

“No!” Bard barked, clutching Thranduil tighter in his grasp. Bard glanced up, looking around. “Help! I need help!” Thranduil could feel his body getting more tired as he the poison continued to spread. “Don’t you die on me. Do you hear me?” Bard begged, his ragged breaths cutting through the roar in Thranduil’s ears. Bard frantically looked around them, trying to find someone, but Thranduil’s elves had run off in search of the attacker or to find aid, and the men were protecting their people up in the tower.

 

“I would see you ha-happy,” Thranduil breathed, trying desperately to lift his hand to cup Bard’s face. Bard saw the gesture and gently laced their fingers together, bringing them to his lips.

 

“I am happy,” Bard whispered, forcing a smile on to his face, “But I can be the happiest man in the world if you stay with me. You have to fight this,” Bard begged, eyes lifting up to see a few elves running towards them. Thranduil jolted. Blood began to bubble at his lips as his body began to spasm in Bard’s arms. Thranduil made strangled noises, breathing starting to become a futile attempt. Thranduil’s body twitched in place, making Bard fear the worse.

“Somebody help me! Please!” Bard called out, his voice breaking to splinters as a sob escaped his mouth. “No,” he whispered, shaking his head. “No, it can’t end like this.” A single tear began to trail down his cheek. “Not like this.” Bard silently began to cry, a few tears spilling onto Thranduil’s cheeks. Thranduil felt like a child being lulled to sleep in the parents arm’s, feeling safe and loved.

“Stay with me, please. Then I will be the happiest man alive. You can keep me safe and happy, just please,” Bard whispered, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to Thranduil’s forehead. Thranduil felt electricity spark throughout him at the touch of the man’s lips and slight scruff on the man’s chin. Thranduil met Bard’s gaze head on, his determination and sheer will power urging him on as he felt the poison begin to fully overcome him.

 

  
“You are my One, and only,” Thranduil declared softly, voice filled with love as he proclaimed his adoration for Bard as steadily as his voice allowed him. Bard gaped at him, his face and composure breaking with each second. His eyelids felt heavy, and Thranduil became unconscious with the sight of Bard above him, and he didn't mind.


End file.
